Virtual screening and biochemical evaluation to identify new inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)

Abstract

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a promising target for the development of anticancer medicines. Here, we report the first example for a successful application of the structure-based virtual screening to identify new mTOR inhibitors. Using the scoring function improved by implementing the ligand solvation effects on protein–ligand association, six novel mTOR inhibitors are found with IC50 values ranging from 8 to 60μM. Because these new inhibitors are also computationally screened for having desirable physicochemical properties as a drug candidate, they deserve consideration for further development by structure–activity relationship studies to optimize the inhibitory and anticancer activities. Structural features relevant to the stabilization of the inhibitors in the ATP-binding site of mTOR are addressed in detail.